Trump takes advantage of a popular misconception about racism -- that it is something held in the heart. In reality it is a system of oppression that promotes power and privilege.
Regardless of the nuances of Robert E. Lee's behavior and historical context, his statues represent white supremacy, and that's why they must be taken down. Ultimately, Lee's legacy is the defense of enslavement.
P. L. Thomas, Associate Professor of Education (Furman University, Greenville SC), taught high school English in rural South Carolina before moving to teacher education. He is a column editor for English Journal (National Council of Teachers of English) and series editor for Critical Literacy Teaching Series: Challenging Authors and Genres (Sense Publishers), in which he authored the first volume, Challenging Genres: Comics and Graphic Novels (2010). He has served on major committees with NCTE and co-edits The South Carolina English Teacher for SCCTE
